Vacuum-cleaner or combined vacuum-cleaner and carpet-sweeper.



B. J. BOUWMEESTER. VACUUM mum on comgmso VACUUM CLEANER AND CARPET SWEEPER. APPLICATION FILED DEC- 6. 1915.- 1 1 695 Patented July 3, 1917.

WMffTER IA VEA TOR.

BERNARD don/v E00 A TTORA'E W] TNESSES N'IITEU eras rarnnr UFFIQE.

BERNARD JOHN BOUWMEESTEB, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 IBISSELL CARPET SWEEPEE COMPANY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

VACUUM-CLEANER OR COMBINED VACUUM-CLEANER AND CARPET-SWEEPER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD JOHN BoUW- MEESTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, Kent county, Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum-Cleaners or Combined Vacuum-Cleaners and Carpet-Sweepers, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to improvements in a vacuum cleaner or a combined vacuum cleaner and carpet sweeper.

The main object of this invention is to provide a means for easily and quickly adjusting and setting the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner in relation to the other parts to control its operative position in relation to the floor.

Further objects, and objects relating to structural details, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, formmg a part of this specification, in which:

Figure I is a side elevation of a combined vacuum cleaner and carpet sweeper.

Fig. II is a rear end elevation of a combined vacuum cleaner and carpet sweeper.

Fig. III is an enlarged detail vertlca'l section, showing how the crank shaft supporting piece is raised or lowered, taken on a line corresponding to the broken llne 3-3 of Fig. II.

Fig. IV is a partial rear elevatlon of a vacuum cleaner, showing a modified structure for raising and lowering the crank shaft.

Fig. V is a detail vertical section of my modified structure, showing how the crank shaft supporting piece is held in place, taken on a line corresponding to the section line 5-5 of Fig. IV.

In the drawing, similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of thesection lines.

Considering the. numbered parts of the drawing, 1 is the casing of a vacuum cleaner having the usual bail handle 2 and the nozzle Patented July 3, 19 17.

Application filed December 6, 1915. Serial No. 65,287.

3 securely locked to the casing. A carpet sweeper is disposed beneath the case 1 just back of the nozzle and is carried on the usual wheels 4: and 5 which rotate the brush 6. The rear driving wheels 7 are provided to drlve the suction devices of the cleaner. Pivotally mounted on the rear wall of the casing is a bail-shaped crankshaft supportmg piece 8 pivoted on pins 9 on each side of the casing.

Depending from each side of the supporting piece 8 are the hangers 10. These hangers act as bearings for the crank shaft 11, said crank being connected to the pitmen 12 which connect the suction bellows not herein shown.

' On the rear end of the casing and above the supporting piece 8 is pivotally mounted the setting lever 13 which turns about the screw 14. The supporting piece'S is connected to the setting lever 13 by the link 15, said pivot point being eccentric to screw 14-, asin Fig. II. On the end of the setting lever 13 is a button 16 and pin 17. The pin 17 is adapted to engage in the holes 18 of a suitable scale 19. There is sufficient spring in lever 13 so that when the pin 17 engages any of the holes 18, said lever will be securely held in place because-of the engagement of the pin. It is thus seen that when lever 13 is set at different positions the supporting piece 8 will be raised or lowered, thus raising or lowering the crank shaft, or if the machine is on the floor, the Whole casing turns about the axle of wheels 4 or 5 and raises or lowers the nozzle 3, thus providing a quick and easy adjustment of the machine to various grades of carpets or rugs and to meet varying conditions.

In the modification of my structure the supporting piece 8 is bent so as to form the handle 20, as shown in Figs. IV and V.

Rigidly fastened to piece 8 is the setting member 21 having transverse notches 22 and the vertical slot 23. Through the slot and fixed on the rear wall of the casing is the screw 24 on which turns the adjusting thumb nut 25. Therefore, when thumb nut 25 is loosened from contact with member 21 the supporting piece 8 may be raised or lowered by handle 20 and when set at a given position may be securely held by tightening said thumb nut.

It will be from this that this structure Mitt is capable of considerable modification without departing from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-' ters Patent, is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner or sweeper, the combination of a casing, a nozzle at the front end thereof, front carrying wheels, rear driving wheels on a suitable crank shaft, a pivotally mounted adjustable supporting piece adapted to carry the crank shaftand rear driving wheels, and a suitable link connection adapted to adjust the said supporting piece and means for operating said link, whereby upon the actuation of said link the casing pivoting about the front carrying wheels will adjust the height of the nozzle, asdescribed.

2. In a vacuumv cleaner or sweeper, the combination of a casing, a nozzle at the front end thereof, front carrying wheels, rear driving wheels on a suitable crank shaft, an adjustable supporting piece adapted to carry the crank shaft and rear driving Wheels, and a suitable link connection adapted to adjust the said supporting piece and means for operating said link, whereby upon the actuation of said link the casing I pivoting about the front carrying wheels Will adjust the height of the nozzle, as described.

3. In a vacuum cleaner or sweeper, the combination of a casing, a nozzle at the front end thereof, front carrying wheels, rear driving wheels on a suitable crank shaft, an adjustable supporting piece adapted to carry the crankshaft and rear driving wheels, and suitable means adapted to adjust the said supporting piece, whereby'upon the actuation of said last named means the casing pivoting about the front carrying wheels will adjust the height of the nozzle, as described.

4. In a vacuum cleaner or sweeper, the combination of a casing, a nozzle at the front end thereof, a suction device, front carrying wheels, rear wheels for driving said suction device and for supporting the casing, adjusting means for said rear wheels whereby the casing is adjustable in relation thereto,

as described. 7

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two witnesses.

BERNARD JOHN BOUWMEESTER. [L.S.] Witnesses:

ANGELA J. LAFFERTY, FRED LINDNER. 

